I just watched Luther: The Fallen Sun and thought it was fine. I haven’t watched the series that comes before this movie, so I won’t be able to compare the quality. As a standalone movie, it works well enough. I might have missed a few references here and there, but I never felt lost by the plot. I’d be curious to know what fans of the series think of the movie.
John Luther is a disgraced detective who has been locked away for his use of unethical practices for catching criminals. While in prison, a serial killer terrorizes London. But no prison can hold Luther. Luther escapes, and now the race is on to catch the killer before he causes too much damage. Can Luther decipher the few clues left behind before it is too late?
As far as detective thrillers go, Luther: The Fallen Sun is fine. My biggest issue with this movie is the pacing. This movie gets slow in parts. It will sit on pretty scenery for longer than it needs to. While I appreciate how well-shot some of these scenes are, this movie didn’t need to be two hours long. As a result, it is missing some much-needed tension. There are moments in this movie that don’t have stakes. It doesn’t matter how quickly Luther solves the clues because he’s got more than enough time to do so.
The acting is fine, but the writing is a little awkward. Some of the dialogue feels sloppy, and some plot points don’t make sense. While there are fun parts of this movie, there are enough parts that aren’t that make this movie difficult to recommend. I am sure people who are fans of the series will have stronger opinions about this movie, but as someone who hasn’t watched it, I thought the movie was okay.
If you have nothing else to watch, it’s not the worst way to spend two hours. At the very least, Luther: The Fallen Sun has made me curious about the series. While I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch this film, you can stream it on Netflix.
Movie Review: Triangle of Sadness (2022)
Triangle of Sadness is one of the most pretentious and shallow movie I have seen to date. I am glad I didn’t see this in theaters because this would have been a waste of money. Nothing happens in this movie.
A cruise ship full of the wealthy and elite shipwrecks on a deserted island. Here on the island, their wealth and status are meaningless. The survivors now must earn their survival, casting aside the excessive luxury they were accustomed to.
The acting is easily the best part of this movie, but the writing is terrible. There is nothing subtle about this movie. Triangle of Sadness wants you to know that capitalism is bad and will take the entirety of its run time artistically and redundantly making this point. This movie could have been shorter. Maybe if this movie spent less trying so hard to be artistic and actually told a meaningful story, I could have recommended it. Instead, my recommendation is that you spend your time on better content.
I don’t have much more to say about this movie because nothing happens. There were a few interesting scenes, but nothing worth sitting through this movie for. You can stream it on Hulu, but I wouldn’t bother.
Image By NEON – IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71522525
Movie Review: Cocaine Bear (2023)
Cocaine Bear is one of those dumb movies that you shouldn’t take seriously. While it fared better than I expected, it isn’t worth the trouble to watch it in theaters. If you are curious about this movie, wait for it to come to streaming so that you can skip all the boring bits. It isn’t a bad movie, but it isn’t worth the price of a movie ticket.
Cocaine Bear is a horror comedy about a bear addicted to cocaine that terrorizes a forest in Tennessee. The story focuses on three unsuspecting groups trying to survive the sudden bear attack. This movie is as dumb as you’d expect.
The acting in this movie is solid. The actors have great chemistry, and the bits of the plot that aren’t serious is a lot of fun to watch. The bear looks a bit cartoonish, but fitting of the movie’s tone. I loved the bear, and every scene that involved the cocaine bear was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, when there is no bear, this movie is boring. One moment you are crying from laughter as you watch cocaine-induced carnage, the next you will sit in silent disappointment as you have to watch boring development for characters you won’t care about. There clearly wasn’t enough for a movie, so there is a bit of filler you can skip past. This movie needed more bear.
There isn’t much more to say about this movie. It is a dumb movie that knows it is dumb. While some of the decisions pay off, not enough of them do to be worth watching in theaters. That said, you need to watch Cocaine Bear at least once to appreciate how dumb it is, but I recommend you wait for it to come to streaming.
Movie Review: The Strays (2023)
While The Strays gives off some solid Get Out vibes, it remains an odd movie to recommend. If you are out of content to watch, give this movie a chance, at least for the experience. While it isn’t the perfect psychological thriller it pretends to be, it does enough right that you won’t hate having sat through it.
Neve lives her ideal life in the suburbs with her successful and loving husband, two lovely children, and a great job. All seems perfect until the day the ghosts from her past begin to haunt her, slowly dismantling everything she has. Will these ghosts be what sends her over the edge, or is there something more sinister in the works?
It is difficult to review this movie without spoiling it. I will try my best to be as specific as possible without ruining the mystery.
The movie has a strong start but builds up to its disappointing twist. The actors are great and give some terrifying performances, but the story isn’t good enough to take advantage of their abilities. What killed this movie for me was the sudden tonal shifts.
The first half is this creepy psychological thriller that keeps raising the stakes as Neve doesn’t seem to have as strong of a hold of her life as she pretends to. I loved the increasingly disorienting narrative as Neve’s once-sterile day-to-day becomes increasingly unhinged. Through small details like how she increases the dose of her medication, her nervous ticks, and her increasing paranoia, the movie does a fantastic job of showing Neve’s disorienting mental state. Are the ghosts real? Is Neve’s life real? It is genuinely hard to tell because of how frighteningly disorienting the narrative is presented. But whatever momentum the first half builds is lost.
After the big reveal, the movie turns into a generic thriller. Any interesting characters developed in the buildup are lost in the worst storyline of this movie. I almost turned the movie off because of how jarring and boring the shift became. The final minutes of the movie sort of makeup for the disappointment because of how well the actors do, but it wasn’t enough to save the movie from mediocrity. This movie had potential and even proved itself with a few scenes, but it doesn’t push the story enough.
The Strays is an okay thriller, and something you should check out if you have nothing else to watch. It isn’t a movie I would rush to see, but you won’t hate it if you sit through it. Check it out on Netflix when you are ready.
Movie Review: We Have a Ghost (2023)
I’d also like to take some time to thank Neyra Villegas for buying me coffee! Your support means the world to me. Thank you so much!
I just watched We Have a Ghost, and it is a bad movie. If this movie shows up on your feed, please ignore it. This movie isn’t worth the two hours it is trying to claim from you. There isn’t even enough movie to fill the run time. We Have a Ghost was made to pad Netflix’s already disappointing library. Stay away.
A generic dysfunctional family moves to a decrepit house hoping for a new beginning. But to their surprise, there is a ghost living in their attic. The generic brooding teenager, Kevin, is the only one to discover that Ernest, the ghost, is friendly. Kevin decides to help Ernest find peace in the afterlife. But some forces want to use Ernest for their selfish goals. Will Ernest find peace before it is too late?
We Have a Ghost is a lazy attempt at rebooting Casper. The plot is full of holes and cliches. The characters are so generic that they are forgettable. It is clear who is in this movie for the paycheck because the acting is mediocre. I don’t blame them because the writing is terrible. No talent in the world can make this movie work.
The biggest problem with this movie is the lack of substance. Nothing happens in this movie. It spends two hours setting up different storylines that don’t lead to anything. All the buildup leads to the most predictable and lazy ending. There was no clear direction for this movie, just an idea and some lazy gags to pad the run time. If you cut this movie down to its most impactful story elements, you are left with maybe five minutes of the movie.
Do not watch We Have a Ghost. With how much better content there is out there, you have better ways of spending two hours. But if you don’t believe me, check it out on Netflix.
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Movie Review: The Whale (2022)
If you haven’t seen The Whale yet, you need to go out and watch it. This is one of the best movies I have seen all year, but it is also one of the saddest. Be prepared to cry a lot.
Charlie is an obese man at the end of his life. He spends his days as a recluse, hiding away in his apartment and eating his feelings. As his health worsens, Charlie attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter. Will he have enough time to amend his wrongs before his time is up?
Brendan Fraser shows the world his true gift as an actor in one of his most powerful roles to date. The chemistry he shares with the rest of the cast is truly moving. I am at a loss as I try to collect myself through the tears. This movie was that good.
Charlie’s story of addiction is very well done. Charlie uses food to cope with the emotional pain he carries with him. Charlie’s pain, issues, and mistakes weigh heavily on his conscience. As his time runs out, he becomes desperate for some closure. It can be hard to watch at times because Charlie faces issues common to the human condition. While some people can overcome their adversities and live the normal lives people pretend to have, others can’t. Addiction to drugs, food, or sex becomes an easy but temporary escape until it becomes a necessity. It is when a person becomes addicted to this escape that he gets stuck in a spiral toward the bottom. Some people need to hit bottom to regain control of their lives. Others will never get the chance. The Whale does a terrific job at showing the struggle of addiction as well as the collateral damage that comes with it. It can be very triggering, especially if you know someone struggling with addiction.
Anyways, please don’t let me dissuade you from watching this movie. The Whale is an important film that I believe everyone should watch at least once. The acting is fantastic, and the story is powerful. If you haven’t seen it or thinking of seeing it, watch it however you can. Just be prepared to cry a little.
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Movie Review: Knock at the Cabin (2023)
Knock at the Cabin wasn’t worth the movie ticket price. I don’t recommend you watch this movie in theaters, even if you get the tickets at a discount. If you are considering watching this film, wait for it to come to a streaming service. Even then, I would hold off because the apocalypse couldn’t come fast enough to save me from boredom.
An unsuspecting same-sex couple and their adopted daughter have their vacation abruptly interrupted by four strangers on a mission to save the world. With the apocalypse imminent, the three must choose to sacrifice one of their own, or else unleash the end of the world. Can the family make the ultimate sacrifice to save humanity before it is too late?
Dave Bautista is the only good thing about the movie. I have already forgotten everyone else, even the main characters. This movie isn’t worth sitting through for Bautista’s performance.
My biggest issue with this movie is the pacing. It takes too long for it to get to the point. You sit through a lot of backstories for a relationship you won’t care about and poorly written dialogue that becomes too preachy about humanity. Writing this bad doesn’t deserve a theatrical release.
Do not be tricked by the trailers; this is not a disaster movie. Knock at the Cabin is a pretentious take on the human condition full of lazy takes and little action. You don’t get to see any of the plagues, destruction, or deaths. Instead, you get to watch strangers talk it out. As a result, there is no sense of urgency or time limit. The world might be ending, but it doesn’t feel like it. For this movie to work, it needed higher stakes. I also didn’t care enough about the main characters for the choice to matter. The climax doesn’t feel impactful because I didn’t care about the family, and there was no sense of urgency.
I have been consistently disappointed by M. Knight’s movies for a while now. My expectations were low going into this, but Knock at the Cabin isn’t his worst movie. Dave Bautista is charismatic enough to make this movie less of a chore to sit through, and there were some beautiful moments of cinematography that I genuinely appreciated. That said, don’t watch this movie in theaters. I would wait till it comes out on streaming so that you can skip through the boring bits, but even then, I wouldn’t rush to see it.
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Your Place or Mine
It is no secret that I have been disappointed by the romcoms I’ve had to sit through this year. When Your Place or Mine popped up on my feed, I was justifiably skeptical that this movie would break my streak of sitting through subpar romcoms. Nothing about this movie suggested my experience would be different this time around. I was surprised that this movie wasn’t as bad as I expected. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a genre-defining title by any means, but it is a fun one.
Your Place or Mine is the story of two best friends who love each other but are too afraid to act on their feelings. Opportunity strikes when Debbie needs to fly to New York to finish her degree but doesn’t have a sitter for her son. Peter volunteers because that is what friends do. The switch allows the two to move out of their comfort zone until they can examine their feelings about each other. Will they learn about themselves and each other to act on their feelings? Yes, because it is that kind of movie.
You aren’t watching this movie for the story or writing because it is mediocre at best. The plot is riddled with holes, and they force a lot of threads to make this movie work. If you are a fan of the genre you might have a better appreciation, but I couldn’t get past the overall silliness of this movie. Instead, you will be watching this movie for the acting. The leads have fantastic chemistry and enough charisma to make it work. The best friends are just quirky jokes, but the actresses had a lot of fun playing them. I hope to see them in more movies because they were a delight to watch on screen. The whole cast seemed to be having fun with this movie, and as an audience member, I loved watching it.
Your Place or Mine is a dumb date night movie that is fun to watch, but it won’t have the lasting power as some of the classics. The story isn’t great, and the production can be sloppy in places, but the actors make up for these pitfalls. If you haven’t canceled Netflix yet and need something to throw on for date night, Your Place or Mine is a solid contender for the occasion.
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Octopath Traveller II Demo
The Octopath Traveller II demo is out now, so I had to give it a try. I played it on the Switch, but the demo is also playable on Steam and PlayStation. I loved the original Octopath traveler, so I have been rightfully excited for this sequel’s release. I am a huge fan of the art, the gameplay is solid, and although the story is a bit lacking, it was good enough to finish.
The demo lets you pick from the eight playable classes and play through the first three hours. If you decide to buy the game, you’re save carry over to the full game. This is a fantastic way to handle a demo because you have nothing to lose.
Honestly, this demo excited me for the release later this month. I played the thief story and was caught off guard by how dark it got. The voice acting is fantastic, and although I’m not a huge fan of the writing style, it did enough to get me hooked. If you are looking for a chill RPG with a decent story and production value, try out this demo. Don’t worry if you haven’t played the first Octopath Traveler. The games are self-contained enough that it doesn’t matter where you start. You might as well start with what is new and shiny.
Octopath Traveller II comes out on February 24, 2023, but you can download the demo today!
Image By Square Enix – IGN, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72138946
Movie Review: Somebody I Used to Know (2023)
Somebody I Used To Know isn’t the worst rom-com I’ve sat through this year, but it is hard to recommend. The movie is a modern version of My Best Friend’s Wedding but with less charm. I recommend you watch that movie instead. The acting here is fine, but the story isn’t great. If you like the genre, you might have a deeper appreciation for it, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch it.
Allie was an ambitious documentarian who has settled on being a producer for a crappy reality tv show about baking on an island. As hard as she works to make her show successful and captivating, it gets canceled. Now without purpose, Allie flies back to her small hometown to figure out what to do with her life. Her plans are complicated when she meets an old boyfriend. Their spark seems to reignite between the two, making Allie believe that this is her second chance to rekindle a lost love. But there is a problem; he is getting married, and the girl he is getting married to reminds her of how she used to be. Will she find purpose in a wreckage of a relationship she helped create, or will she learn to let things go?
The story isn’t great. You sit through fake artsy talk as Alle struggles with selling out. It will try way too hard to be funny, and none of it is interesting. I like that Allie is put in a situation where she has to let things go to grow, but don’t like that she tried to break up a happy couple. I don’t like when these types of movies muddle ethics so that two people are together. I get that sometimes a couple is destined to be together, but destiny in these types of movies means flat characters exist to create easy conflict rather than a meaningful story. The goal here starts off as trying to get rid of a flat foil so Allie can get the life she thinks she wants.
I was surprised to see this movie attempt to divert from the usual formula, but this shift doesn’t do enough to make this movie better. Allie doesn’t find purpose in the guy she wanted, but she will find it in another man. Although Allie was able to move on and follow her dreams, I find her sudden success as a documentarian hard to believe. I didn’t like Allie as the main character and didn’t care about her growth. Don’t get me wrong, Allison Brie gives a great performance, but the movie isn’t good.
The chemistry between the characters is easily the best part of the film. Unfortunately, some characters are terribly wasted in this film and others are just flat and forgettable. I’ve seen worse romcoms so I was able to power through this film without much issue, but it is hard to recommend because this plot has been done a lot better elsewhere. If you are thinking about watching this movie, watch My Best Friend’s Wedding instead.
You can watch it on Amazon if you have a prime subscription, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch it.
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